Method for feeding spinning material to spinning machine and its apparatus



Se t. 30, 1969 RYOHEI Ts uzum 3,459,335

. METHOD FOR FEEDING SPINNING MATERIAL To SPINNING MACHINE AND ITSAPPARATUS Filed March 21', 1967 4 Shees-Sheet 1' FIG. I

' IIIIII'I III I IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII Sept. 30', 1969 RYQHEI "rsuzuxl j3,469,385

' METHOD FOR FEEDING SPINNING MATERIAL T0 SPINNING MACHINE AND ITSAPPARATUS Filed March 21, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet g FIG. 5A

0 Q 0 0 6 6 O Q Sept. 30, 1969 RYOHEI TSUZUK! 3,469,335

METHOD FOR FEEDING SPINNING MATERIAL TO SPINNING MACHINE AND ITSAPPARATUS Filed March 21. 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 'III'II'I'III IIIIIIMSept. 30, 969 RYOHEI TSUZUKI 3,469,335

METHOD FOR FEEDING SPINNING MATERIAL To SPINNING MACHINE AND ITSAPPARATUS Filed March 21, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 United States PatentU.S. Cl. 57-34 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLGSURE Apparatus for feedingin the form of roving or sliver strands of fibers from packages having aplurality of upstanding pipes for individually receiving strands offibers from the packages for advancement therethrough in a downwarddirection at a substantially uniform speed in each pipe under control ofgravity through a variable restriction within each pipe defined by aplurality of plates in each pipe increasing and decreasing therestriction within a pipe in response to the weight of the fibers in theindividual pipes upstream of the restriction therein. A moisture-contentcontrol device treats the strands as they are advanced longitudinallythrough the pipes.

The present invention relates to an improved method for feeding spinningmaterial to a spinning machine and its apparatus, and particularlyrelates to a method and apparatus for feeding sliver or roving whosemoisture content has been automatically adjusted, to a respectivespinning machine while feeding from respective containers of sliver orroving which are disposed upstairs or at a higher level relative to therespective spinning machine installed downstairs. A spinning method byfeeding the spinning material stocked upstairs to the respectivespinning machine installed downstairs has been illustrated in US. PatentNo. 3,070,948 granted to another invention of the applicant. And anothermethod for feeding material to a spinning machine and its apparatus hasbeen filed in the Patent Office in application Ser. No. 605,661,entitled Method for Feeding Spinning Material to Spinning Machine andIts Apparatus, filed on Dec. 29, 1966. The present invention provides amethod for feeding spinning material to the respective spinning machineand its apparatus, and is particularly for the spinning method accordingto the US. Patent No. 3,070,948.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a method andapparatus for adjusting moisture content of sliver or roving whilefeeding from the reserve position upstairs to the respective spinningmachine installed downstairs.

Another object of the invention is to provide an economical andeffective method for adjusting moisture content of sliver or roving.

According to the invention the apparatus comprises a plurality ofvertically disposed pipes through which strands of fibers, from reservepackages at a level higher than a spinning machine, are delivered. Aconditioning device treats the fibers as they advance through the pipesto insure that they have optimum moisture content. The fibers areadvanced by driven rolls and move through the pipes and conditioningdevice at a uniform speed gravity controlled by plates defining avariable restriction in each pipe increased or decreased variably inresponse to the weight of the fibers on the plates defining the variousrestrictions.

Other objects and features of the invention will more 3,469,385 PatentedSept. 30, 1969 ice fully appear from the following description and theaccompanying drawings and will be particularly pointed out in theclaims.

FIG. 1 is a general elevational view of the feeding apparatus to whichis attached the respective moisture regulating device according to theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the moisture regulatingdevice shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the moisture regulating device taken alongsection line III-III in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the moisture regulating device taken alongsection line 1V-1V in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B are an explanatory drawing and an enlarged sideview, respectively, of a device for controlling the delivery speed ofthe spinning material of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a general elevational view of the feeding apparatus to whichis attached another embodiment of a moisture regulating device of theinvention;

FIG. '7 is an enlarged side view of another embodiment of the moistureregulating device shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an explanatory drawing for showing the method of reversing fedsliver or roving in the respective pipes of the moisture regulatingdevice shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is an explanatory drawing of a regulating plate disposed underthe reserve pipe shown in FIG. 8.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4, a reserve sliver 3 is contained in acan 2 disposed in an upstairs room 1 where it is not necessary tomaintain moisture in a controlled condition. The sliver 3 reserved inthe can 2 is fed to a. draft part 5 of a spinning frame so as to produceyarn 6 which is twisted and wound around a bobbin 7 supported by aspindle 8 rotating at high speed. The sliver 3 is fed to individual feedpipes 4 by way of guide rollers 9, 10 and then goes to a trumpet 11disposed behind the draft part 5. The guide rolls 9, 10 are rotatedpositively so as to feed sliver 3 uniformly as later described. Amoisture regulating device 12 is disposed in an intermediate portion ofthe feed pipe 4 in such a way that the respective feed pipe 4 passesthrough the device as shown in the drawings. The moisture regulatingdevice comprises, FIG. 3, a main chamber 12' and an inlet pipe 13 forconditioned air and outlet 14 for overflow air. A plurality of feedpipes 4 pass through the chamber 12 and the portions of the respectivepipes passing through the chamber 13 are provided with a plurality ofsmall apertures 15 for permitting passage of the conditioned air fromthe chamber 12 to the inside of pipes 4. The conditioned air is suppliedfrom an air conditioning device 16 by way of a supply conduit 17 to theinlet pipe 13, and overflow air is returned to the air conditioningdevice from the outlet pipe 14 by way of a return conduit 18. By meansof the above-mentioned circulation of the conditioned air, the moisturecontent of the air in the chamber 12 is always maintained in a desired,predetermined condition. As the pipes 4 are provided with apertures 15,the conditioned air of predetermined moisture content enters therespective pipes through the aperture 15 and moves toward the upperportion of the pipes 4 if the air pressure of the upstairs room is lowerthan that of the spinning room. Sliver or roving regulating plates 21are disposed to the inside wall of pipes 4 under the moisture regulatingdevice 12 as shown in FIG. 1. Each regulating plate 21 is pushed orbiased upwardly by a spring 23, but excessive upward turning motion isrestricted by a respective stop 22 disposed on a bracket 19, which issecured to the pipe 4 by fastening bolts 24. The regulating plate 21 isturnably supported on the bracket 19 by a pin 19'. The spring 23 isconnected at one end with the plate 21 and at the other end with aprojected portion of the bracket 19 as shown in FIG. SB. The plate 21can turn counterclockwise till the other end 20 of the plate 21 makescontact with the stop 22. As shown in FIG. A, the regulating plate 21 ispositioned in the pipe 4 in such a way that it restricts the openedspace for permitting the free passage of sliver or roving and the feedspeed of the sliver or roving 3 fed is regulated so that it is uniform.Consequently, the moisture content of sliver or roving 3 is conditionedwhile passing through the feed pipe 4. The quantity of air which is usedfor conditioning the moisture content of the feeding sliver or roving ismuch smaller when compared with that of the conventional system in whichthe moisture content of the air in the entire room must be adjusted.Moreover, the feed speed of the spinning material 3 in the pipes 4 isvery slow and the moisture content the spinning material 3 passingthrough the pipes 4 is controlled completely, by which the spinningcondition is greatly improved.

The guide rolls or rollers 9, are driven at uniform speeds and deliverthe strands of fibers into the individual pipes 4. Restriction aperturesin the pipes 4 are defined by the plates 21 which extend inwardly intothe individual pipes. If there is overfeed the strands of fiber willweigh more heavily on the plates 21 and the restriction aperture willtend to open up. If the speed of advancement of the fibers issubstantially at the proper speed the plates keep the restrictionaperture at the proper setting. It is, of course, understood that thefeed through the pipes is at a higher rate of longitudinal advancementthan the delivery rate required to the drafting zone 5. Thus, in effect,there is a constant overfeed that is compensated for by the plates 21.The plates actually maintain a gravity-controlled rate of feed becauseas the overfeed takes place there tends to be less friction between thestrands of fibers and the guide rollers 9, 10 so that the rate ofdelivery decreases and there is constantly a rate of delivery that issubstantially gravity controlled and, therefore, the rate of advancementis substantially constant and uniform in each individual pipe.

Referring to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, another embodiment fo moisture contentregulation device of the feeding material is shown. In FIG. 6, thefeeding method and apparatus of the spinning material are almost thesame as those of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 with the exceptionof the moisture regulating device. The moisture regulating devicecomprises an enlarged pipe 25 which is disposed at an intermediateposition of the feeding pipe in place of the moisture content regulatingdevice 12 in FIG. 1. A plurality of main ducts 26 for feedingconditioned air to the respective enlarged pipe 25 are disposed underthe ceiling of the spinning room (in FIG. 6, a main duct 26 is shown),the respective enlarged pipes 25 are connected with the main duct 26 bya respective connecting pipe 27 so as to supply the conditioned air fromthe main duct 26 to the enlarged pipe 25. At the portion of therespective pipe 4 adjacent to the bottom end portion of the enlargedpipe 25, a plurality of regulating plates 28 are disposed inside of therespective pipe 4 as shown in FIG. 8. The regulating action of themoisture content of the feeding sliver or roving 4 by the enlarged pipe25, and the circulation of the controlled air through the main duct 26are also the same as those of the first embodiment. Consequently, almostthe same effect of regulating moisture content of the sliver or rovingfed and the consequent improvement of the spinning conditions as thataccomplished by the first embodiment can be obtained.

While the invention has been described in conjunction with certainembodiments thereof it is to be understood that various modificationsand changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for feeding in the form of roving or sliver strands offibers from packages comprising, a plurality of feed pipes forindividually receiving strands of fibers from said packages foradvancement longitudinally therethrough and delivery therefrom, and feedcontrol means in each pipe controlling the speed of advancement andeffective to maintain said speed substantially uniform at a selectedspeed within the individual pipes comprising variable control meansdefining a variable restriction within each pipe.

2. Apparatus for feeding in the form of roving or sliver strands offibers from packages according to claim 1, in which said pipes arevertically disposed and said strands of fibers advance therethrough in adownward direction, and including means driven at constant speeds fordelivering said strands of fibers from said packages to said pipescooperative with said variable control means in advancing said strandsof fibers under the control of gravity through the vertical pipesindividually at substantially a uniform speed in each pipe.

3. Apparatus for feeding in the form of roving or sliver strands offibers from packages according to claim 2, in which said means driven atconstant speeds comprise driven guide rollers over which said strands offibers advance.

4. Apparatus for feeding in the form of roving or sliver strands offibers from packages according to claim 2, in which said variablecontrol means comprises for each pipe a plurality of plates defining aconstriction through which the strands of fibers advance longitudinallyand means resiliently mounting said plates for increasing and decreasingthe restriction within a pipe in response to the weight of fibers in anindividual pipe upstream of said restriction.

5. Apparatus for feeding in the form of roving 01' sliver strands offibers from packages according to claim 1, including means for treatingthe strands of fibers within the individual pipes to regulate themoisture content of the strands of fibers.

6. Apparatus for feeding in the form of roving or sliver strands offibers from packages according to claim 5, in which each of said pipesis substantially vertically disposed and each has a given length havingperforations, and which said means for treating said strands of fiberscomprises means to supply conditioned air through said perforations ofeach pipe to regulate the moisture content of said fibers.

7. Apparatus for feeding in the form of roving or sliver strands orfibers from packages according to claim 5, in which said means fortreating the strands of fibers within the individual pipes to regulatethe moisture content of the strands of fibers is disposed in a positionsuch that said strands of fibers pass through the individual restrictionin said pipes before treatment thereof in said means for treatingwhereby said strands of fibers advance through said means for treatingat a respective substantially uniform selected speed of advancement forproper regulation of the moisture content therein.

8. Apparatus for feeding in the form of roving or sliver strands offibers from packages according to claim 7, in which said means fortreating the strands of fibers to regulate the moisture content thereincomprises means for applying conditioned air to each pipe individuallyalong a length of each of said pipes to treat said strands of fibers asthey advance longitudinally through said length.

9. A method of feeding in the form of roving or sliver strands of fibersfrom packages comprising, advancing the strands of fibers from saidpackages each along a substantially vertical path and variablyrestricting each path at a point thereof to cause the individual strandsto pass through each restriction in said path substantially at a uniformrate of longitudinal advancement.

10. A method of feeding in the form of roving or sliver strands offibers from packages according to claim 5 6 9, including treating thestrands of fibers at each individual 3,247,551 4/ 1966 Whitehurst 5736XR path along a length of said path downstream of each 3,318,013 5/1967Erb 68-54 XR gzstfrigzgzn to regulate the mo1sture content of sa1dstrands FOREIGN PATENTS I References Cited 5 164,139 7/1955 Australia.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 509mg 9/1952 Belglum' 2,421,135 5/1947 Walter eta1 68--5 XR MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner 3,005,238 10/1961 Manning1966 WERNER H. SCHROEDER, Assistant Examiner 3,070,948 1/1963 Tsuzuki5736 1 3,175,375 3/1965 Yazawa et a1. 68-5 0 3,241,343 3/1966 Yazawa. 1966; 57-35, 156

